Crystal Serenity at Sea

Photo Courtesy of Crystal Cruises

Active Enrichment Distinguishes 80 New Crystal Adventures
In The Baltic And Northern Europe This Summer

Bobsledding the Olympic track in Lillehammer. Hiking one of Geirangerfjord's spectacular waterfalls. High-speed sailing in the Finnish archipelago. Teeing off on championship golf courses in Dublin or Edinburgh. With an emphasis on active enrichment, Crystal Cruises is debuting 80 brand new Crystal Adventures on 11 varied cruises throughout the Baltic and Northern Europe this summer. Savvy travelers seeking unusual and authentic experiences may choose from 333 shore tours ranging from a two-day excursion to Moscow to an afternoon drink at Stockholm's unique Ice Bar.

For its May-through-August Baltic and Northern European season aboard the ultra-luxurious Crystal Serenity, Crystal Cruises is offering more than 30% additional Crystal Adventures in 2006 than in 2005. Further, the luxury line has been raising its own bar by introducing approximately 45% more new tours than it presented in 2005.

Why are there so many new choices in 2006 for a line that has been traversing the Baltic and Northern Europe for many years? One reason is that Crystal is visiting more destinations in the region than last year. Destination-rich itineraries of 7 to 14 days include voyages through Scandinavia and Russia, British Isles, a North Cape journey crossing the Arctic Circle, and assorted other destinations in Northern Europe. Maiden calls in Riga, Latvia; Spitsbergen, Norway; Ayr & Troon, Scotland; La Rochelle, France; and Gijón, Spain are sprinkled through the season. Crystal is also repeating visits to seldom-visited ports on its itineraries, such as Hamburg, Germany and Zeebrugge, Belgium.

"Besides our added port content, another reason for our shoreside expansion is that our tour operators get it," explains John Stoll, Crystal's director of land programs. "We've been actively challenging them for the past few years to broaden the scope of the experiences we can offer ashore. Today it's a collaboration and partnership at its most creative. The results are more boutique tours designed to capture the imagination of the modern and contemporary Crystal guest who seeks more authentic adventures and luxurious one-of-a-kind experiences that are personally enriching."

New Crystal Adventures Include

Crystal's commitment to offering guests extensive choices is evidenced by its broad collection of new tours in established ports of call. In St. Petersburg alone, eight of the 32 tours offered are brand new, and all take advantage of Crystal Serenity's three-day, two-night stay in Russia's cultural capital. Highlights include:

"The Baltic's depth of beauty and the richness of each individual port make this an ideal repeat destination," adds Stoll. "The choices in each destination are staggering - whether one is seeking cultural enrichment or more active pursuits."

From adventure and art to cultural enrichment and pop culture, the variety of Crystal Adventures promises to pique the interests of all Crystal guests:

Cruises depart from London, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. Depending on itinerary selected, per person, double occupancy fares begin at $3,395. Pre- and post-cruise hotel stays are available at The Renaissance Chancery Court and The Berkeley Hotel, both in London; the Copenhagen Marriott; and The Grand Hotel in Stockholm. Guests also have the opportunity to experience the spectacular scenery of Europe aboard the Orient Express pre- and post-cruise depending on itinerary.